Worth the wait
Tottenham fans have had to wait four long months to see Antonio Conte take charge of his first North London Derby. Initially due to take on Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, January 16, the showdown was postponed following a request from the Gunners to the Premier League to call the game off due to their lack of numbers.
Claiming they had "many players currently unavailable across our squad as a result of Covid, injuries and players away with their countries at AFCON", Tottenham were left furious about the decision, with Conte making his feelings perfectly clear on it numerous times since then. Spurs even had a subtle dig at Arsenal in a video on social media ahead of kick-off with the message "we were ready in January" there for all to see.
Arsenal probably did wish the game in January had in fact gone ahead going on what took place in N17 on Thursday evening. Finding themselves 1-0 down after Harry Kane had netted from the penalty spot following a clumsy foul on Son Heung-min, Rob Holding deservedly saw red for two yellows following bad challenges on Son.
READ MORE: Every word Antonio Conte said on why Arteta must stop complaining and Spurs' win against Arsenal
It was reckless play from the Arsenal centre-back and his side duly capitulated as Kane grabbed his second before Son added a third shortly after half-time. Tottenham did have a number of chances after that to extend the scoreline and the Gunners were rather fortunate to leave having only conceded the three goals.
While Conte and everyone at Spurs wanted to play the game back in January, the postponement really did work in the club's favour as their form was incredibly patchy back then and they were without Son, and Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur had yet to join the club from Juventus.
The Premier League's decision really could prove pivotal if Spurs do indeed leapfrog Arsenal in the remaining two games and clinch the final Champions League spot. Thursday's North London Derby was very much worth the wait for Conte, the players and the fans.
Conte embarrasses Arteta
Conte got plenty off his chest in his post-match press conference as he discussed what Arteta had just told the media when he reflected on his side's humbling in N17. The Spaniard was not happy about referee Paul Tierney's performance and was clearly seething about the penalty decision and Holding's dismissal.
"I cannot do it [talk about the referees]. I'm really proud of my players and I'm looking forward to Monday night [vs Newcastle]. I want to be on the touchline on Monday night. I don't want to be suspended," he said. "We wanted to play a game. We were so excited to play. You could see how we started. It was a beautiful occasion and it was destroyed."
It's hard to see how Arteta and Arsenal can really have any grumbles about the penalty decision with Cedric Soares clearly barging Son in the back. Tierney then really didn't have any choice but to send Holding off after two bookable offences, with the second rather stupid on the centre-back's part after clattering into Son so soon after picking up his first caution of the game.
Conte made that point crystal clear in his press conference, as well as indicating that Arteta needs to stop complaining and instead focus on his team. He really did put him in his place.
"I think that Mikel Arteta is a really good coach. He's being a really good coach. He's just started to do this job and I think that I hear him complain a lot. I think that he needs to be focused more on his team and not to complain," said the Italian. "Because he has just started his work and I think he has to be calm and to try to continue to work. Because he's very good but to listen to a coach complain a lot of time is not good.
"But it's ok, the red card for me it was clear. Don't forget against Liverpool I said nothing what happened with Fabinho, a lot of time, because if we want to complain we have the possibility every game to speak about the referee, about the decision, about the postponed game, I think that this is the advice if you want to accept the advice. If you don't, I don't care."
He added: "If you remember he complained about the fixture. It is not good to complain. Arsenal were good to postpone a game in an incredible way with Covid and they only had one player with Covid. I didn’t forget this. If he wants to complain, we have a lot of possibilities to complain.
"Now, today I can complain about why I have to play on Sunday at 12pm and Arsenal has to play on Monday night. And they have one day more rest. We played against Leicester, Liverpool, Arsenal and now after only two days we have to play and we have to play the first game at 12pm."
Getting one over on Arteta on Thursday evening with his Tottenham side delivering them a hammer blow in their top-four quest, Conte will now be hoping to have the final laugh come the final day away at Norwich City.
The man for the big occasion
Arsenal fans probably knew what was coming ahead of kick-off following Kane's recent struggles in front of goal. Excellent for Spurs in February and March as he appeared to be edging back to his very best, the 28-year-old went five matches without a goal following his strike against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Even going four games on the trot without registering a single shot on target before finding the net again against Leicester City, Kane has looked rather jaded recently but he will have been counting down the days until North London Derby day. The record goalscorer in the fixture with 11 goals, he was always going to have a say on proceedings in the capital.
Calmly converting the opener from the penalty spot, Kane added a second 15 minutes later with a diving header at the back post after Bentancur had flicked on Son's corner. Involved in the third goal of the night with his run into the box that culminated with the ball falling kindly to his teammate, he once again rose to the big occasion on derby day.
Tottenham are breathing heavily down Arsenal's neck with two games remaining in the season and a few more goals from Kane in the run-in against Burnley and Norwich City wouldn't go amiss as he looks to shoot Tottenham back to the Champions League.
